Active Users:648 Time:23/12/2024 01:15:57 AM
"Distrust"? Interesting word choice. Legolas Send a noteboard - 14/11/2013 09:32:35 PM

View original postMight be because I detest rating systems and those seem to be the most visible aspect of the site

True, they're rather primitive as evaluation goes - and since one has complete freedom in how to use the rating system, they are less than helpful in telling you how people feel about a book, anyway. A friend of mine recently gave Oliver Twist a one-star review, so I enquired, and in the end we were in agreement on essentially everything about the book - except I gave it four stars and she gave it one (admittedly, she's Jewish and Fagin did play a role, but even so).

The averages of ratings for books also tend to mystify me, as I've been unable to see any kind of pattern in why some books score higher than others - the ones with high scores are certainly not always the ones you would expect, thinking about what a large group of readers' opinions would likely average out to.

Still, ignoring the ratings, the site is useful in a few regards - a convenient way of maintaing a list of books to read and finding other books that might be of interest, and showing you what your friends are reading so you can pick up the same book or start a conversation on a book you've both read. But the discussion system isn't exactly great for longer discussions involving multiple people, I've no idea how people manage to find their way in the hundreds-of-pages threads that do somehow crop up in the book clubs (when you try to quote an earlier post, it automatically cuts off after a really very short character limit, so you end up quoting manually anyhow).

Reply to message
To whom do you turn when you want to learn more about new books? - 10/11/2013 06:17:07 AM 1333 Views
This is the only place. - 10/11/2013 04:26:22 PM 1055 Views
Maybe, but I'm a bit skeptical - 11/11/2013 12:14:36 AM 983 Views
If you want to attract NEW readers, the site needs to be reworked from scratch - 13/11/2013 01:06:41 PM 944 Views
Preaching to the choir here - 14/11/2013 07:55:56 AM 1062 Views
Re: If you want to attract NEW readers, the site needs to be reworked from scratch - 21/11/2013 09:24:22 PM 991 Views
That might be swimming upstream against a strong current - 22/11/2013 08:41:15 AM 959 Views
Quite - 22/11/2013 03:34:50 PM 847 Views
io9 - 10/11/2013 07:32:41 PM 1264 Views
Locus Online also has good lists of upcoming/new SF/F releases - 11/11/2013 12:16:18 AM 961 Views
The Economist, NYT, and WSJ - 11/11/2013 01:05:36 PM 958 Views
Very true - 14/11/2013 07:57:14 AM 977 Views
I'm skeptical of the Economist. - 16/11/2013 05:02:47 PM 920 Views
Which books were those? - 19/11/2013 03:19:59 PM 930 Views
There were at least four or five bad reviews. - 30/11/2013 05:41:45 PM 960 Views
I remember reading that book. I don't recall being impressed by it. *NM* - 05/12/2013 03:37:59 PM 514 Views
I've essentially stopped reading - 11/11/2013 12:36:51 AM 1093 Views
I don't think very highly of the discussions on r/fantasy - 11/11/2013 08:25:54 AM 1119 Views
I've never even been to r/fantasy - 11/11/2013 08:31:11 AM 952 Views
I'd say this place is still the most influential for me. - 11/11/2013 10:29:19 AM 942 Views
For some odd reason, I distrust Goodreads - 14/11/2013 07:58:29 AM 1054 Views
"Distrust"? Interesting word choice. - 14/11/2013 09:32:35 PM 1051 Views
Call me old fashioned... - 11/11/2013 02:47:37 PM 903 Views
Old fashioned! - 14/11/2013 07:59:43 AM 929 Views
I second that suggestion. - 14/11/2013 09:35:51 PM 857 Views
Re: I second that suggestion. - 16/11/2013 02:10:10 AM 768 Views
Here mostly, Goodreads, io9 - 11/11/2013 09:40:41 PM 1011 Views
Interesting - 14/11/2013 08:01:05 AM 901 Views
Typically new is "New to me" - 14/11/2013 08:36:09 AM 1148 Views
Ah, I understand a bit more now. Thanks. - 22/11/2013 08:50:26 AM 887 Views
Here mostly too. And bookshops over here. - 12/11/2013 06:54:05 PM 900 Views
I have list of things to read longer than I have time to read - 13/11/2013 05:39:59 PM 875 Views
So true - 14/11/2013 08:03:16 AM 901 Views
here, mostly, but i also have less time to read (sort of) and a lot to read... - 19/11/2013 03:49:15 PM 829 Views
Quick, cozy comfort zone reads, more or less? - 22/11/2013 08:52:37 AM 759 Views
It depends on what is happening at the time - 30/11/2013 12:15:55 AM 724 Views
I don't really care to learn about new books. - 21/11/2013 08:58:44 PM 888 Views
I'm all BELE - 29/11/2013 07:12:03 PM 840 Views
Book recommendations can come from the oddest places... - 07/12/2013 04:36:26 AM 856 Views

Reply to Message